Please help identify Marc Bolan's Gibson type

[TeeRex]

Hello everyone,

This is a picture of Marc Bolan a.k.a. T-Rex., circa 1970.

Could someone please help identify what kind of Les Paul this is?

It has rectangular inlays instead of trapeze ones, so it's not a standard LP, but it doesn't seem to be a custom either. Inlays are smaller than the ones found on custom LPs. Also, the first fret has no inlay, unlike custom LPs. Also, there is no "diamond" logo on the headstock.

Here's another picture, same concert.

Thanks a lot!

 

 

[duane v]

Wow

The cheapest one listed is going for $9600 

[duane v]

Definitely looks like a Norlin 70's headstock

 

 

[TeeRex]

Even if the neck was replaced, it's a Gibson neck with a Gibson headstock. Headstock is a standard one. So what kind of neck is that? It's not a standard neck. He would have had it made custom? Or replaced the fingerboard for ebony with special inlays?  Or did the abalone fall off from the first fret and the logo? All this seems unlikely. There must be a gibson that has this kind of neck with these inlays and head.

[TeeRex]

Headstock with no binding : not a custom. Inlays correspond rather with a Gibson ES 335 than a LP custom or standard. Edit: some of the 335 don't have the abalone logo and  have an ebony fretboard

So, it could be a LP Custom with a ES335 neck

I think we have the solution: it's the Custom in the B&W picture above posted by duane v, re-necked with a ES-335 ebony

Edited April 13, 2023 by TeeRex

[duane v]

It's a Les Paul Custom neck..... I don't think a 335 neck could fit on a Les Paul Standard..... I mean it could with a ton of modification. 

[TeeRex]

Ok. What would be the indicators of a LP Custom neck?

Not a LP Custom headstock and not LP custom inlays on this neck. But it has both the correct headstock and inlays for a 335.  

The body could be a sanded down Custom.
 

Edited April 13, 2023 by TeeRex

[TeeRex]

According to this video:

it's a standard (no back binding on the body) that has had 3 or 4 necks: standard, custom, and so this 335-style one

[Murph]

I love those stories.

Never paid any attention to Bolan, but those make great mysteries and lore.

Dig it.

[merciful-evans]

Curious stuff. I wonder if he used it on 'King of the Rumbling Spires'.

[slimt]

Les paul custom.   Not all Customs had 3 pickups.   I owned a  1960 with two.      

[sparquelito]

I know a fellow who dated a lady who had briefly been in an extramarital affair with a fellow who was once a classmate of Marc Bolan at  Northwold Primary School, Upper Clapton, back in the day, and this bloke said it was actually a Framus, with the 'Gibson' painted onto the head stock by the guy who used to drum for Gerry And The Pacemakers.

But that's clearly not first-hand information, so I probably should not have shared that.
Let's keep that between just us, okay?
🤫